Bring on the Branston! (Branston Baked Beans)

Member Name: englishrose

Product:	Branston Baked Beans
Date:	06/04/09 (35 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Taste great, thick sauce

Disadvantages: None for me

Branston can't be beat!

I usually buy shops own brand beans, to save money, and I have seen these in Tesco etc., but I have not bought them because they were a lot more expensive that the own-brand. However, I had to give these a try when I saw them the other day in the local Poundstretcher at 4 full-size tins for £1.00 which surely can't be beaten! I have also seen them for that price in Home Bargains too.

The design is a bright orangey-red tin - the colour of baked beans I suppose - with the traditional 'Branston' logo in blue and yellow across the top, so they do stand out on the shelves.

Opening the tin is a doddle with the ringpull mechanism, then of course you just heat the beans through as they are already 'cooked' as I am sure you all know. Our microwave is 'resting' at the moment, so I just use the old fashioned method of heating them up in a saucepan on the hob.

I like them just plain and simple with toast, or as part of a fry-up (when I add them to the frying pan). They are also a great addition to a main meal. Really, Branston Baked Beans are truly versatile either as a snack or proper dinner, for example, added to a chili.

The first thing I noticed was that the sauce was really nice and thick - You know how some tins of baked beans have a really runny sauce? Not a problem here. Also, there was a satisfyingly high sauce-to-bean ratio, meaning the tin was properly packed with beans and not just filled up with cheap sauce.

The beans are a good size too: I have noticed with some cheaper brands that the actual beans are smaller. This doesn't matter of course, as long as there are enough of them in the tin, but it's just something I've noticed.

I was thinking the sauce might taste of Branston Pickle or something silly like that, but no, don't worry, it doesn't! It's just a really good, traditional baked bean tomato sauce: Slightly spiced but sweet at the same time, rich and thick: It does contain artificial sweeteners but it has a good natural taste. And it passes the most important test: it's thick, but still runny enought to soak into the toast!

Summary: A premium brand of baked bean